The University of California, San Diego has announced a $1 million gift from longtime supporter Audrey S. Geisel, widow of author Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel, to establish the Audrey Geisel University Librarianship.

The gift will be used to establish an endowment that supports expansion of the resources and services of ten UC San Diego Libraries. Brian E.C. Schottlaender has been named the first Audrey Geisel University Librarian, a position that will give him authority to allocate funding to a range of initiatives, including the development of new collections, conservation of rare materials, the creation of additional facilities, and staff-retention efforts.

Geisel, who is president of the Dr. Seuss Foundation and the Dr. Seuss Fund, has already donated 8,000 of her husband's original drawings, sketches, books, and memorabilia to the university. "The UCSD libraries are very close to my heart," she said. "They are...a place where minds are inspired and enlightened to new heights. It is a great pleasure to help in enhancing these vital resources for the future."